Road rage shooting suspect: 'I got scared'

Matthew Webster was arraigned in Vermont Superior Court in St. Albans on Sept. 26 . He is accused of second-degree murder in the shooting of Anna Alger, 31, of Highgate.(Photo: GLENN RUSSELL/FREE PRESS FILE)Buy Photo

ST. ALBANS – Matthew Webster felt immediate remorse moments after shooting Anna Alger — a stranger — on the side of North Main Street in St. Albans in September, he told police minutes after the confrontation.

Webster, 30, of Swanton tried to reload his gun to shoot himself, just as he had been attempting to do while driving in his car a few minutes earlier.

The gun failed to fire, Webster told police.

Webster said he then cradled his two guns to prevent anyone else from getting shot until police could respond to the scene.

Webster was arrested and placed in a holding cell for a short time upon his arrival at the St. Albans Police Department. In a recording that was played Thursday in Vermont Superior Court in St. Albans, he can be heard sobbing and saying "I'm sorry" repeatedly when police came in to speak with him.

"I used to be such a good guy," Webster said to St. Albans police Detective Sgt. Ben Couture during an interview immediately after his arrest. An agitated Webster told Couture he had never done anything criminal except for a charge of negligent vehicle operation he had gotten in 2012. "Never anything this size," he said.

Couture tried to ask Webster his name before reading Webster his rights, but instead of answering, Webster asked about Alger.

"Is she okay?" he asked as Couture explained several times that he needed to read Webster his rights before the two men could speak about the day's events.

Webster had cut off the car driven by Alger, 31, of Highgate when running a red light. He said he pulled over to the side of the road, and Alger pulled over nearby to confront him before he fatally shot her. Alger's fiance, Patrick Daley, was in the passenger's seat and witnessed the shooting. Webster's wife, another witness, had been following in her car behind Webster.

Couture recorded the one-hour interview with Webster on a tape recorder. The recording was played in entirety during Thursday's hearing.

Webster has been charged with second-degree murder, reckless endangerment and operating a car carelessly or negligently. He has pleaded not guilty and has been held without bail since his arrest.

Thursday's hearing was one of the first times Webster has been brought to court since his arraignment in September. Members of Alger's and Webster's families were present.

Anna Alger, 31, of Highgate — shown here in a photo from her Facebook profile — was killed after being shot six times, according to police.(Photo: COURTESY)

As the recording played, Webster wiped his eyes occasionally. He turned around several times and mouthed "I'm sorry" to Alger's family.

The hearing related to an attempt by Webster's lawyers to throw out all statements Webster made in the interview. The defense said Couture had pressured Webster to sign a form waiving his rights to an attorney and to remain silent, and that Couture had allowed the interview to proceed when Webster seemed unsure about continuing.

Webster also had signed a form to release his medical records to the police, which the defense argues he was pressured to sign.

'I got scared'

Webster said several times in the recording that he was not feeling well and had been prescribed medications for attention deficit disorder, depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Webster told Couture he had a fight with his wife after breaking off an affair, and he had not taken his prescribed mental-health medications.

"I couldn't do it," Webster said of his first suicide attempt in the car. Webster said he was driving on Main Street with the 9 mm Ruger pistol to his chin — one of two guns he had in his car for protection — but decided "I didn't want to do it. I didn't want to die."

Webster said he pulled over because he felt depressed. He said Alger and Daley scared him during the confrontation, and he implored them to get back into their car.

"I had two people kind of coming at me," Webster said. "I tried to put the gun back into the holster, and it wouldn't go. She kept approaching."

Daley got back into the car after seeing the gun, but Alger continued to advance. Webster said he realized he still had the gun in his hand and took aim.

"I got scared," Webster said. "I didn't think. ... She started charging at me, and I think her velocity increased. ... It was like a six-point buck coming up over the hill."

Webster fired at Alger repeatedly, emptying the gun, until he saw her fall. Immediately, Webster said he realized what he had done and began to cry, he said.

Justice for Anna

The hearing was scheduled to resume late to continue taking evidence.

Alger's family and friends declined comment Thursday about the court proceedings but said they were still "fighting for justice.".

The family said a memorial placed at the scene of the shooting was moved to a friend's yard last week after St. Albans city officials received a complaint.

Alger's grandmother Gladys Alger said she was ready to give the mayor an earful on that issue.

Anna Alger's sister Ginny Alger said she feels like community support has dwindled some since the shooting, but the family is standing strong.

"Our main concern is justice for (Anna) at this point," friend Amanda Moore said. "We're just asking the community to back her up. She was a hometown girl."

Contact Elizabeth Murray at 651-4835 or emurray@freepressmedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/LizMurraySMC.